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SpringMeeting-SynodofLakesandPrairies-MountOlivetConferenceandRetreatCenter-Farmington,Minnesota-May1-3,2016.

Synod of Lakes and Prairies

TheSynodMeetingSummaryisanunof'icialreportofsynodactionspublishedshortlyaftereachmeetingoftheSynodofLakesofPrairies.Commentsregardingthepublica-tionorre-questsforcopiesshouldbeaddressedtodsweep@lakesandprairies.org.

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Find synod info online Youcan'indtheSynodofLakesandPrairiesonlineatlakesandprairies.organdyoucanalso'indthesynodonFacebook.IfyouuseTwitter,pleasefollow@lakesprairies.

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FernCloud

Synod installs 3 leaders during spring meeting FernM.Cloud,arulingelderfromthePresbyteryofDakota,andGregBraatz,arulingelderfromWinnebagoPresbytery,wereinstalledasmoderatorandvicemoderatorwhentheSynodofLakesandPrairiesmetMay1-3nearFarmington,Minn.

ThesynodalsoinstalledtheRev.PamProuty,ateachingelderfromthePresbyteryofMinnesotaValleys,asitsstatedclerk.

CloudisamemberoftheSisseton-WahpetonDakotaOyateandagreat-greatgranddaughterofTaOyateDuta,betterknownasChiefLittleCrowoftheDakotapeople.

ShehasservedasacommissionedrulingelderatPejuhutaziziDakotaPresbyterianChurch,UpperSiouxCommunity,inGraniteFalls,Minn.,sinceMarch2004.

Braatz,a30-yearmemberofmemorialPresbyterianChurchinAppleton,Wis.,servesonWinnebagoPresbytery’spermanentjudicialcommission.

Braatzretiredlastyearafterspending29yearswithKimberly-ClarkCorp.invariousmarketingandsales-supportroles.HecurrentlyservesparttimewithMemorialPresbyterianasacommissionedrulingelderforspiritualformationandoutreach.

Prouty,whoalsoservesasthestatedclerkforthePresbyteryofMinnesotaValleys,beganservingasthesynod’sstatedclerkJan.1,followingherelectionlastfall.

Proutybrings15yearsofpastandcurrentexperienceasastatedclerk,isamemberofthenationalAssociationofStatedClerks,andhasservedasaGeneralAssemblycommitteeparliamentarianforthe2012and2014Assemblies.

GregBraatz

PamProuty

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SDOP issues $15,000 grant to Bountiful Gardens

TheSelfDevelopmentofPeopleCommitteeoftheSynodofLakesandPrairiesawardeda$15,000granttoanorthMinneapolisproject.

ThegrantsupportsTheBountifulGardens,acommunitygardenthatcreatesfreshproduceforconsumptionandsaleablecosmeticproductsforacooperativeofwomen.

TheSDOPcommitteeispreparingtoparticipateinarecerti'icationtrainingsessionthissummer.Certi'icationisathree-yearcyclethatauthorizesSDOPcommitteestoreceive,reviewandapprovefundingtocommunitygroups.ThesynodcommitteehasinvitedSDOPcommitteesfromthepresbyteriesofNorthernWaters,MinnesotaValleysandTwinCitiesAreatoparticipateintherecerti'icationtraining.

Synod PW gathers in Sioux Falls this summer TheGatheringofPresbyterianWomenintheSynodofLakesandPrairiestakesplaceJune15-18inSiouxFalls,S.D.

Forthosewhohaven’treceivedaregistrationbooklet—whichcontainsallthenecessaryregistrationinformation—itisavailableonthesynod’swebsite.

Commissioners introduced to new synod employees Twonewsynodemployeeswereintroducedtocommissionersduringthespringmeeting—DebDeMeesterandAlexDeVeyra.

DeMeester,introducedastheactingdirectorofleadershipdevelopment,waslatervotedtobecomethefull-timedirectorofleadershipdevelopmentwhenthesynod’spersonnelcommitteemadethatrecommendation.

DeMeester,ateachingelder,servedmanyyearsasassociateexecutivepresbyterforleadershipdevelopmentforthePresbyteryoftheTwinCitiesAreaandhasledagraduateleadershipprogramattheUniversityofSt.ThomasinSt.Paul,Minn.

Shebeganherpart-timeservicewiththesynodinFebruaryandwillbeginservinginafull-timecapacitynolaterthanJune15.

DeVeyra,whobeganservingFeb.1asthesynod’sdirectorof'inancialservices.,bringsextensiveaccountingexperiencetotheposition.HemostrecentlyworkedattheHubertH.HumphreyJobCorpsCenterinSt.Paul,andhehasalsoworkedforBoeserInc.ofMinneapolis,aprivatecorporationinthemanufacturingsector.

DebDeMeester

AlexDeVeyra

Synod issues $3,000 grant to ‘Faith and Friends’ program at St. Cloud church Actingonarecommendationofthesynod’sEcclesiasticalRelationsCommittee,commissionersapproveda$3,000grantforFirstPresbyterianChurchinSt.Cloud,Minn.,thatwillfundaUKirkprojectatSt.CloudStateUniversity.

Inapplyingforthegrant,FirstPresbyteriannotedthechurch“seekstotransformitsFaithandFriendscollegeoutreachprogram…intoasigni'icantUKirkprogram.”

UKirkistherevisionedcollegiateministriesprogramofthePresbyterianMissionAgencyofthePresbyterianChurch(U.S.A.).

Lindh tells of Pres Homes’ mission, growth DanLindh,presidentandCEOofPresbyterianHomesandServicesofRoseville,Minn.,lookedbackon60yearsofhistorywhenheaddressedthesynodduringitsspringmeetingMay2.

LindhsaidPresHomesservednearly26,000olderadultsduring2015—morethan13,000“underroof”—andplansto“doubleinscopeandreachofservices”inthenext15years.

PresHomesisincovenantwiththeSynodofLakesandPrairies.

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Synod budgets more than $270,000 to presbytery support

TheSynodofLakesandPrairiescommittedmorethan$270,000inits2017

budgetforComprehensivePresbyterySupport,andslatedanadditional

$23,165tosupportthemissionandministryofDakotaPresbytery.

ThebudgetforComprehensivePresbyterySupportissplitevenlyamong15

ofthepresbyteriesthatmakeupthesynod.Eachisbudgetedat$18,225.

Thesynod’ssupportbudgetforDakotaPresbyteryisdifferentbecauseithas

beendeclining15percentannuallybasedonanactionbythesynodin2009.

For2017thebudgetforDakotaPresbyterysupportis$23,165.

Thesynod’sProgramCoordinationCommittee,whichannuallydevelopsthe

synod’sbudget,notedinitsreport,“Ourconversationscenteredaround

beingintentionalaboutwhatwearedoingandhowwearespendingour

money,andnotjustcontinuingpastpractices.”

Synod raises per capita by 5 cents TheSynodofLakesandPrairiesapproveda5-centincreaseinits2017percapitaapportionment.Theincreasewillraisethesynod’sshareofpercapitato$5.30.

Thepercapitaapportionmentisbasedonthefundsneededtocarryout“essentialecclesiastical”workandchurchmembershipwithinthesynod.

Decliningmembershipacrossthesynodcontributedtotheneedtoincreasepercapita.The2017percapitaamountsoughtfromeachpresbyterywillbeapportionedbasedonthetotalmembershipasofDec.31,2015.

Finance Committee notes grants, loans TheSynodofLakesandPrairiesaf'irmedtheworkofitsFinanceCommitteeregardingloansandgrants,andapprovedmodi'icationstoseveralloanterms.Thesynodapproved…

• agrantof$4,750tothePresbyteryofMissouriRiverValleyforapresbytery-wideprojecttitled“ChurchVitalityProgram.”

• anemergencyassistancegrantof$3,888.88fortheKoreanPresbyterianChurchofOmaha,Neb.

• asix-monthmoratoriumonloanpaymentsforPresbyterianChurchoftheMasterinCoonRapids,Minn.,andalsoapprovedareductionintheinterestrateto3.8percent

• asynodloanof$125,000forDiscoveryPresbyterianChurchinOmaha.Theloanwillbeamortizedover20yearsat3.8percentinterestforthe'irst10years.

• aone-yearmoratoriumonloanpaymentsforPresbyterianChurchoftheApostlesinBurnsville,Minn.

• anadditiontothesynodloanofFirstPresbyterianChurchofDePere,Wis.,intheamountof$50,000,amortizedoversevenyearsat3.8percentinterest.

• anextensiontoa30-yearterm,froma20-yearterm,onthesynod’sloanforFirstPresbyterianChurchofChippewaFalls,Wis.

Racial-Ethnic Ministry Committee issues scholarships, provides tribal college grants TheSynodofLakesandPrairiesthroughitsCommitteeonRacial-EthnicMinistryissued$17,500instudentscholarshipslastfall.

Scholarshipssupported10students,representingsevencollegesanduniversities.

Threeseminarieswererepresentedamongthescholarshiprecipients.

Eligiblescholarshiprecipientsmustberacialethnicstudentswhosepermanentresidenceiswithintheboundsofthesynod,activemembersinacongregationofthePresbyterianChurch(U.S.A.),enrolledatleasthalf-timeandingoodacademicstanding,makingprogresstowardadegree,andabletodemonstrate'inancialneed.

Inaddition,thecommitteeissued$200grantstoeachof10tribalcolleges:FondduLacTribalandCommunityCollegeofCloquet,Minn.;FortPeckCommunityCollegeofPoplar,Mont.;CankdeskaCikanaCommunityCollegeofFortTotten,N.D.;NebraskaIndianCommunityCollegeofMacy,Neb.;OglalaLakotaCollegeofKyle,S.D.;SinteGleskaUniversityofMission,S.D.;Sisseton-WahpetonCommunityCollegeofSisseton,S.D.,TurtleMountainCommunityCollegeofBelcourt,N.D.;WhiteEarthTribalandCommunityCollegeofMahnomen,Minn.,;andLacCourteOreillesCommunity

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CREM approves up to $10,000 for immigrant network training

Thesynod’sCommitteeonRacialEthnicMinistrywillpartnerwiththenationalPresbyterianChurch(U.S.A.)Of'iceofImmigrantIssuestobehoststoaneventforimmigrantnetworktraining.

Thetrainingwillprovide

Presbyterianswhoare

workingonorinterestedin

immigrationadvocacythe

opportunitytobuild

connectionstostrengthena

denomination-widenetwork.

SlatedSept.8-10inSt.Cloud,

Minn.,theconferencewill

followtheguidelinesofthe

nationalof'icetoinvite

workshopleaders,agency

advocatesandplanners.

TheCommitteeonRacial

EthnicMinistryhasapproved

upto$10,000tosupportthe

conference.The'inancial

supportwillbeaddedto

$1,600pledgedfromthe

nationalof'ice.

Supportfromthenationalof'icewillcoveraportionofexpenses,toolsforcoalitionbuilding,presentersandsomestaffsupport.

Street-Stewart reports on policy review, upcoming General Assembly SynodExecutiveElonaStreet-StewartquotedfromGalations6whenshepresentedherwide-reachingreporttotheSynodofLakesandPrairiesatitsspringmeeting.

Galations6:9-10states,inpart,“Solet’snotallowourselvestogetfatigueddoinggood.Attherighttimewewillharvestagoodcropifwedon’tgiveup,orquit.Rightnow,therefore,everytimewegetthechance,letusworkforthebene'itofall,startingwiththepeopleclosesttousinthecommunityoffaith.”

“Workingtogethercanbehardwork,”shesaid.Andherreportnoted,“Ourlargesynodprovidesserviceandsupportforministryaroundtheregionandbeyond.Thereviewofthesynod’spoliciesandproceduresre'lectsasigni'icantefforttocombinepolity,talent,values,energyandvisioninagrouphomeworkassignment.”

Eachsynodcommitteehasbeenassignedspeci'icpoliciesandprocedurestoreviewandrewriteasnecessary,andStreet-Stewart’sreportadvisedsynodcommissioners,“Thecleareryoucanbeabouttheissues,expectations,assumptionsandeffectivenessofthetext,themorecomprehensivetherevisionprocesswillbeforboththereaderandpractitioner.”

Allcommitteesparticipatingintheprocessareexpectedtohavetheirrevisionsandrewritescompletedbythefallmeeting.

Street-StewartalsoreportedonthesynodsresponsetoGeneralAssembly’scalltoreducethenumberofsynodsacrossthedenomination,attachingthe“all-synod'inalreport”totheAssembly.

Thatreportnotes,“Aftercarefulandfaithfulconsiderationandresearch,thesynods…concludedthatlargerstructureswillhavelittle,ifany,positiveimpactonmission,ministryandpartnershipbetweenpresbyteries.Itwasalsodeterminedthatthesheerenormityofsuchexpansivesynodboundariesasthosebeingproposedwouldnotfacilitatetheworkofmid-councils,andwouldfurtherrestrictandlimittheinvolvementandvoiceofracialandethnicPresbyteriansworkingwiththecurrentsynodstructure.

“Itthereforeisrecommendedthatnochangesbemadetosynodboundariesatthistime.”

AnexecutivesummaryofindividualsynodresponsestotheGeneralAssemblynotesintheLakesandPrairiessection,“Twocommonareasofministryinwhichthesynodscouldbestrongandeffectiveworkingtogetherarestrengtheningsmallandruralchurchministryandengaginginissuesofracism,oppression,[and]disenfranchisementofracialethniccommunities.”

ThosetwoareasofministryandmissionarealsoelementsofacovenantamongthesynodsofLakesandPrairies,LincolnTrailsandMid-America.Thethreesynodsapprovedthatcovenantlastfall.

ElonaStreet-Stewart